Hurricane Simon lashes Mexico's Pacific coast, pounds resorts and vulnerable towns

Hurricane Simon weakened Monday to a Category 2 storm, but it continued to pound the coast of west-central Mexico as its eye remained just offshore.

Dangerous winds lashed the region, threatening coastal areas with flooding rain, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. With its center still swirling near the coast, Simon's most damaging winds and rain were forecast to persist near the Puerto Vallarta area, a coastal town known for its beach resorts. 

The storm's maximum sustained winds have decreased below the 111 mph needed to make it a major Category 3 storm, as it was previously categorized, according to the hurricane center. Simon had been weakening gradually since the early hours of Monday morning, but forecasters warned it could strengthen again, and, regardless, it remained a dangerous hurricane.

Map shows hurricane's path

On Monday night, Simon's eye was about 85 miles west of Cabo Corrientes and inching west-northwestward at about 3 mph, the hurricane center said. 

The storm was expected to change directions midweek and eventually approach the coast of west-central Mexico on Wednesday into Thursday. The hurricane center warned that Simon "could re-intensify some" and "is expected to remain a hurricane through midweek" before it weakens and moves inland.

Simon is expected to bring heavy rain to the U.S. Southern Plains from Tuesday afternoon through Friday morning, CBS News and Stations meteorologist Nikki Nolan said. That region could see 3 to 5 inches of rain and more in some places.

Hurricane-force winds were extending outward up to 10 miles, and tropical storm-force winds were reaching up to 45 miles from Simon's center, meaning the entire area between Mexico's western coast and the Sierra Madre mountains could be affected.

Hurricane warnings and watches for Simon

A hurricane warning is in effect for Las Islas Marias, which means hurricane conditions are expected in the area. A hurricane watch is in effect along the coast of Mexico from North of Esuinapa to Bahia Tempehuaya, where hurricane conditions are possible within the next two days.

"We're expecting catastrophic wind and life-threatening storm surge impacts along that west-central coast of Mexico where the hurricane warning is currently in effect," Philippe Papin, a senior hurricane center specialist, said over the weekend. "They're also getting very heavy rainfall associated with the storm that's likely going to produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides in areas of higher terrain along the Mexican coastline, and there will be significant swells."

The hurricane center said early Monday that Simon was expected to dump an additional 2 to 4 inches of rain, with some areas getting up to 8 inches, in the states of Colima, Jalisco, Nayarit and Sinaloa through early Thursday.

"Isolated maximum storm totals of 30 inches are possible over portions of the states of Michoacan, Colima, and Jalisco," the center said in its latest advisory. "This rainfall will produce life-threatening flooding and mudslides or worsen any ongoing flooding, especially in areas of steep terrain."

Tourists arrive as Puerto Vallarta residents brace for Simon

Puerto Vallarta is a popular tourist destination in the state of Jalisco. Just inland and uphill from the resort areas, many Mexicans live in communities where housing might not stand up to the storm. 

As the storm approached Puerto Vallarta, National Guard vehicles patrolled the streets while police used a megaphone to call out the few people who were jogging, walking their dogs or biking by the waterfront. Officers reminded people that the area was closed and urged them to take shelter. Not everyone followed the orders.

Jalisco state suspended classes on Friday and Monday in 22 coastal municipalities and began evacuating people from at-risk areas while asking the tourism sector to make sure workers and visitors are fully accommodated in shelters or safe zones.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum took to social media to urge people in Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Michoacan to stay sheltered until the government issues a notification that the danger has passed. She also asked people to follow recommendations from civil protection officials and to avoid traveling on public roads.

"Precautionary evacuation efforts to safe zones are ongoing; the priority is our safety," she wrote.

Hotel worker Víctor Martínez went shopping for nonperishable food Sunday afternoon. He said he couldn't go to work because public transportation service was suspended and most of the hotel had been evacuated.

Martínez found people's concerns about the hurricane comforting.

"It happened to us before. It hit us years ago," Martínez said, referring to a Category 5 hurricane that hit the area in 2002. "People didn't expect it. We were very skeptical that it would ever hit us. Now, though, we're different. Precautions are being taken. It happened to us once, and we won't let it happen again."

Despite the risks posed by Simon, tourists were still arriving in Puerto Vallarta.

Visitors Ricardo Ramírez and Brenda Villarreal, who have never lived through a hurricane, went looking for food by the city's boardwalk and came across police urging people to take shelter. Ramírez said they were completely unprepared for the situation.

"The boardwalk is closed. Be responsible. Understand!" police told passersby using a megaphone.

Ramírez said he and Villarreal had planned their four-day vacation since last year and traveled from Guadalajara, Jalisco's capital.

"We don't know the extent of the danger yet," Villarreal said. "We're just starting to see what's going on."

Unlike the Atlantic, which saw just its first named hurricane of the season this week with Isaias, the Pacific season has been very active. Simon's arrival comes on the heels of Polo, which slammed Mexico last week as a Category 2 hurricane before reaching the southwestern U.S. and bringing heavy flooding to the region.